The move came soon after a judge concluded that forcibly medicating the 23-year-old college dropout to treat his schizophrenia made him competent to understand the gravity of the charges and assist in his defense, reported CBSNews.com.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the suspect pleaded “not guilty” to a 49 count indictment last year – including murder and the attempted assassination of a member of Congress – after opening fire on January 8, 2011, at a constituents meeting that Rep. Giffords was holding in Tucson, Arizona.

The wife of astronaut Mark Kelly – who was shot in the head and suffered serious damage to the left side of her brain that controls speech and communication – called the pain and loss suffered that day “incalculable,” but is relieved there will not be a lengthy death penalty trial.

“Avoiding a trial will allow us — and we hope the whole Southern Arizona community — to continue with our recovery,” Giffords and Kelly said in a joint statement.